Corner bracket and roller assembly for sliding doors

ABSTRACT

A sliding door roller assembly comprising a unitary press-formed L-shaped corner bracket having a pivotal roller carriage with an outwardly biased detent engageable in a groove in a flange of the corner bracket.

United States Patent [1 1 Benson 1 Feb. 20, 1973 CORNER BRACKET AND ROLLER ASSEMBLY FOR SLIDING DOORS [75] lnventor: Henry E. Benson, Hialeah, Fla.

[73] Assignee: Warren Industries, Division of the Celotex Corporation, Hialeah, Fla.

[22] Filed: May 22, 1972 [21] App]. No.: 255,393

Banner [52] ILS. CI. ..l6/91, 49/420, 16/97, 57 ABSTRACT 16/99, 16/34, 16/105 [51] Int. C1. ..A47h 15/00 A liding door roller assembly comprising a unitary Field 01 Search press-formed L-shaped corner bracket having a 9/ 245 pivotal roller carriage with an outwardly biased detent engageable in a groove in a flange of the corner [56] References Cited bracket.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 3,299,575 1/1967 DU Shane .....49/420 so i 3O 1 /-52 10 l i 4/ I05 l l 2 4 I 27 I I L, I 6| 65 63 I i 73 83 I 38 \H '0'! 39 J @1 99 2 4. a 62 r '9 74 75 e1 1 11 J1 A 1 1 7o 1 l 32 1 I I t 38 35 d 3L 4 53 5O 2 2 4/ 42 f 46 1 PATENTEB FEBZ 0 I973 FIG-4 FIG.3

FIG. 5

CORNER BRACKET AND ROLLER ASSEMBLY FOR SLIDING DOORS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to sliding screen doors, and particularly to comer brackets and roller assemblies for sliding screen doors which have bottom and top outwardly extending rollers engageable in tracks.

2. Description of the Prior Art Screen doors having track supported rollers for guiding their horizontal movement and for securing the doors in a door opening have been used for many years. The rollers are circumferentially grooved to ride on the track.

There are numerous versions of roller assemblies which are pivotally mounted and spring biased to engage the door track. Generally, the roller carriages and wheels are held outwardly of the hollow door frame by a spring means into engagement with the track.

The fact that the roller assemblies are unrestrained results in the extension of the wheels beyond the outer dimensions of the screen door. The outwardly extending wheels interfere with ease in packaging the doors in cartons. In addition, when the screen door is to be placed on the tracks, the outwardly extending wheels prevent easy installation and require the use of a flat knife-blade or other tool to deflect the wheel upwardly over the track.

Screen doors are relatively inexpensive items and they must be made as economically as possible to af ford an acceptable margin of profit. The doors are generally made of relatively light gauge aluminum by a roll-forming process in which a thin flat ribbon of aluminum is unwound from a reel. By passing through a series of forming dies, the flat ribbon is formed into a hollow rail or stile with a groove to receive the screen material which is held in place by a thin rubber or elastomeric spline. For economy, it is preferable that the corner brackets be made by a press-form process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a novel corner bracket and roller assembly for sliding doors in which the roller assembly is removably engaged in an internal position for shipping and installation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel corner bracket and roller assembly for sliding doors which simplifies the packaging of the door.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel corner bracket and roller assembly which enables easy installation of the door on its supporting track.

Other objects and advantages will become evident from a consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which like numerals indicate like elements and in which FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the novel corner bracket and roller assembly of the invention with the door partially cut away,

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are cross-sectional 'views of the corner bracket taken along lines 2-2, 3-3, and 4-4, respectively of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 5 is a top view of the roller assembly.

Referring to the drawing and particularly, FIG. 1, one corner of a sliding screen door is shown in elevation with a portion cut-away to expose the novel corner bracket and roller assembly of the invention. The sliding screen door, at the corner shown, has a pair of mating hollow rails or stiles 11 and 12 which are mitered at a 45 angle to fit together. Rails 11 and 12 are roll-formed thin gauge aluminum. The flat faces 15 and 16 of each of the rails are spaced from each other a predetermined distance by spanning end walls 20 and '21. Along upper end wall 20, an interior face 15 is crimped around an upstanding flange 24 of end wall 20 at a spaced distance from end wall 20 to form a groove or channel 25. Groove 25 receives a spline 27 which holds screen wire 30 tautly in place.

An opening 32 is cut through the outer end wall 21 of lower rail 12 to permit a roller assembly 35 to partially extend outwardly beyond the edge of outermost end wall 21.

When screen door 10 is properly installed, wheel 38 of roller assembly 35 rides on track 40. Track 40 comprises an upstanding web 42 with a top bead 44 separated from a lower perpendicular base flange 46. Base flange 46 is bolted or otherwise secured to the floor.

Referring now more particularly to corner bracket 50, it is L-shaped in plan with equal length legs 52 and 53 at right angles to each other and is U-shaped in cross-section with a generally flat bottom portion 60 spanning two spaced parallel flanges 61 and 62 which are perpendicular to bottom portion 60. The height of flanges 61 and 62 is equal to the distance between flat faces 15 and 16 and the distance between flanges 61 and 62 is equal to the spacing between end walls 20 and 21. The dimensions of bracket are such that it fits tightly within rails 11 and 12 with one leg 52 within rail 11 and the other leg 53 within rail 12 to hold the rails in secure abutment.

To form bracket 50, a flat ribbon of 0.090 inch thick 1 aluminum of 4.250 inches in width and of indeterminate length is unrolled from a reel into a series of press forming dies. The first die cuts a piece having a flat configuration with two legs 52 and 53 at right angles. The width of each leg in its flat extended condition is such that it equals the combined heights of the two upstanding flanges 61 and 62 plus the width of bottom portion 60. At the area where the legs 52 and 53 make a right angle, suitable small pieces are cut away to allow flanges and 61 to be pressed upwardly at right angles to bottom portion 60.

A reinforcing and strengthening dimple 63 is pressforrned near the inner corner 65 of bracket 50.

A bolt receiving section is press-formed in leg 53 by placing the bracket 50 in a suitable die and forming the bottom section 60 into the forms shown in FIGS. 2

FIG. 2 shows a lower section 73 of bottom portion 60 in cross-section taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1. To the right of a cut or slit 74 is a raised sleeve section 75. Sections 73 and 75 are formed to provide a circular opening for the reception of threaded bolt As shown in FIG. 3, which is taken along lines 33 of FIG. I, raised sleeve section 75 is shown in cross-section as well as the portion of section 73 to the right of slit 81. An elongated sleeve 75 is formed with a long bore. FIG. 4, taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 1, shows that portion of 73 to the right of line 4-4 in cross-section and the inner surface of the head 83 of bolt 80.

it is thus seen that corner bracket 50 can be easily die-formed in presses from a flat piece of aluminum stock to take the configuration shown so that it fits tightly within mating rails of a screen door to hold them securely together without further fasteners. Corner bracket 50 also provides by a press-fitting operation a formed sleeve 75 to receive and hold a threaded bolt 80.

A roller assembly 35, shown in a removeably locked position in FIG. 1 and in an outwardly extended position in dotted outline in the same figure, is also shown in top plan view in FIG. 5. Roller assembly 35 can be roll-formed from 22 gauge zinc plated cold rolled steel or other suitable metal and has two legs 90 and 91 extending outwardly from and perpendicular to a narrow base wall 92. To accommodate a plastic wheel 38, one of the legs 91 is bent at 96 to further separate legs 90 g and 91 near their free ends. A removable rivet 98 acts as'an axle to hold wheel 38 in rotational relationship between legs 90 and 91. Wheel 38 may be made of nylon or other suitable plastic material and has a peripheral groove 99 adapted to ride on head 44 of track 40. Since wheel 38 is subjected to wear and must be replaced periodically, rivet 98 is made removable for convenient replacement of wheel 38. Roller assembly 35 is pivotable about an axis which can be a pin 99 fixed to the lower portion of legs 90 and 91 of roller carriage 35 and to bottom portion 60 of leg 53 or corner bracket 50.

A biased detent 100 formed integrally from rear base wall 92 of assembly carriage 35 extends slightly upwardly and forwardly of rear base wall 92. Detent 100 has a slightly bent portion 101 which is engageable in a groove 105 in flange 61 of leg 53 of bracket 50. Groove 105 is located in a position such that roller assembly carriage 35 is rotated about pin 99, it can be locked within rail 11 or can be released to move to a position partially extended outside of rail 12 through opening 32.

To provide for resilient mounting of roller assembly 35 a spring 108 is bent around pin 99 with one end lying against flange ,62 of leg 53 of corner bracket 50 and the other end extending beyond and abutting the lower end of base wall 92 of roller assembly 35.

Spring 108 controls roller assembly 35 so that it is biased outwardly against head 44 of rail 40 to prevent the screen door from slipping off rail 40, if it is accidentally lifted upwardly. In like manner, unless some other arrangement is made, wheel 38 is continually biased outwardly of rail 12 and interferes with packaging of the screen door or with installation on the jobsite.

Bolt 80 acts to release roller assembly 35 from the restraining action of detent 100 in groove 105 when the bolt is rotated by a screwdriver orother tool to advance it against base 92 and push the roller assembly forward to disengage detent 100 from groove 105. Upon release of detent 100, spring 108 biases roller assembly 35 through opening 32 in rail 1]. Roller assembly 35 can be restored to its restrained position by retracting bolt 80 and pushing assembly 35 back through opening 32 until detent 100 engages groove 105, whereupon the a press-formed L-shaped corner bracket having a bottom portion and spaced flanges integral with said bottom portion and upstanding therefrom,

said flanges being in compression fit with said flat faces and said end walls of said mating rails,

said corner bracket further having a bolt receiving sleeve press-formed into said bottom portion of said bracket.

a roller assembly pivotally mounted within one of said rails and to said bottom portion of said bracket assembly and extending beyond a free end of said bracket,

spring means engaging said roller assembly and one of said flanges of said bracket for urging said roller assembly to extend partially outside of said one of said rails,

a detent integrally connected to said roller assembly and extending outwardly therefrom,

detent receiving means in the other of said flanges of said bracket to releasably engage said detent, and

a bolt threadingly engaging said sleeve for movement longitudinally of said bottom of said bracket, one end of said bolt being adapted to contact said roller assembly, whereby longitudinal movement of said bolt moves said detent of said pivotally mounted roller assembly out of engagement with said groove.

2. A corner bracket and roller assembly as recited in claim 1, in which said roller assembly comprises a pair of spaced legs integrally connected to a narrow base wall along edges of said base wall, and said detent is an integral extension of the top of said base wall extending upwardly and forwardly toward the free ends of said legs.

3. A corner bracket and roller assembly as recited in claim 1 in which said bolt receiving sleeve has a central portion pressed upwardly between two parallel cuts in said bottom portion and is adjacently located with respect to two reversely downwardly formed adjoining portions of said bottom portion of said bracket.

4. A corner bracket and roller assembly as recited in claim 1 in which said bottom of said bracket has a strengthening dimple therein.

5. A corner bracket and roller assembly as recited in claim 1 in which said roller assembly comprises a pair of spaced legs integrally connected to a narrow base wall along the edges of said base wall, and a wheel mounted on a removeable pin engaging said spaced legs at points remote from said base wall.

6. A corner bracket and roller assembly comprising:

a press-formed L-shaped comer bracket having a bottom portion and spaced flanges integral with said bottom portion andupstanding therefrom,

said corner bracket further having a bolt receiving sleeve pressnformed into said bottom portion of said bracket,

a roller assembly pivotally mounted to said bottom portion of said bracket assembly and extending beyond a free end of said bracket,

a detent integrally connected to said roller assembly and extending outwardly therefrom toward one of said flanges,

a detent receiving means formed in said one of said flanges for releasably engaging said detent,

and a bolt threadingly engaging said sleeve for movement toward and away from said roller assembly, one end of said bolt being adapted to contact said roller assembly, whereby longitudinal movement of said bolt releases said detent of said pivotally mounted roller from engagement with said detent receiving means.

7. A corner bracket and roller assembly as recited in claim 6, in which said roller assembly comprises a pair of spaced legs integrally connected to a narrow base wall along edges of said base wall, and said detent is an integral extension of the top of said base wall extending upwardly and forwardly toward the free ends of said legs.

8. A corner bracket and roller assembly as recited in claim 6 in which said bolt receiving sleeve has a central portion pressed upwardly between two parallel cuts in said bottom portion and is adjacently located with respect to two reversely downwardly formed adjoining portions of said bottom portion of said bracket.

9. A corner bracket and roller assembly as recited in claim 6 in which said bottom of said bracket has a strengthening dimple therein.

10. A corner bracket and roller assembly as recited in claim 6 in which said roller assembly comprises a pair of spaced legs integrally connected to a narrow base wall along the edges of said base wall, and a wheel mounted on a removeable pin engaging said spaced legs at points remote from said base wall. 

1. A corner bracket and roller assembly for sliding doors having hollow, mating rails with flat faces and spaced end walls rollformed to make each of said rails comprising: a press-formed L-shaped corner bracket having a bottom portion and spaced flanges integral with said bottom portion and upstanding therefrom, said flanges being in compression fit with said flat faces and said end walls of said mating rails, said corner bracket further having a bolt receiving sleeve press-formed into said bottom portion of said bracket. a roller assembly pivotally mounted within one of said rails and to said bottom portion of said bracket assembly and extending beyond a free end of said bracket, spring means engaging said roller assembly and one of said flanges of said bracket for urging said roller assembly to extend partially outside of said one of said rails, a detent integrally connected to said roller assembly and extending outwardly therefrom, detent receiving means in the other of said Flanges of said bracket to releasably engage said detent, and a bolt threadingly engaging said sleeve for movement longitudinally of said bottom of said bracket, one end of said bolt being adapted to contact said roller assembly, whereby longitudinal movement of said bolt moves said detent of said pivotally mounted roller assembly out of engagement with said groove.
 1. A corner bracket and roller assembly for sliding doors having hollow, mating rails with flat faces and spaced end walls roll-formed to make each of said rails comprising: a press-formed L-shaped corner bracket having a bottom portion and spaced flanges integral with said bottom portion and upstanding therefrom, said flanges being in compression fit with said flat faces and said end walls of said mating rails, said corner bracket further having a bolt receiving sleeve press-formed into said bottom portion of said bracket. a roller assembly pivotally mounted within one of said rails and to said bottom portion of said bracket assembly and extending beyond a free end of said bracket, spring means engaging said roller assembly and one of said flanges of said bracket for urging said roller assembly to extend partially outside of said one of said rails, a detent integrally connected to said roller assembly and extending outwardly therefrom, detent receiving means in the other of said Flanges of said bracket to releasably engage said detent, and a bolt threadingly engaging said sleeve for movement longitudinally of said bottom of said bracket, one end of said bolt being adapted to contact said roller assembly, whereby longitudinal movement of said bolt moves said detent of said pivotally mounted roller assembly out of engagement with said groove.
 2. A corner bracket and roller assembly as recited in claim 1, in which said roller assembly comprises a pair of spaced legs integrally connected to a narrow base wall along edges of said base wall, and said detent is an integral extension of the top of said base wall extending upwardly and forwardly toward the free ends of said legs.
 3. A corner bracket and roller assembly as recited in claim 1 in which said bolt receiving sleeve has a central portion pressed upwardly between two parallel cuts in said bottom portion and is adjacently located with respect to two reversely downwardly formed adjoining portions of said bottom portion of said bracket.
 4. A corner bracket and roller assembly as recited in claim 1 in which said bottom of said bracket has a strengthening dimple therein.
 5. A corner bracket and roller assembly as recited in claim 1 in which said roller assembly comprises a pair of spaced legs integrally connected to a narrow base wall along the edges of said base wall, and a wheel mounted on a removeable pin engaging said spaced legs at points remote from said base wall.
 6. A corner bracket and roller assembly comprising: a press-formed L-shaped corner bracket having a bottom portion and spaced flanges integral with said bottom portion and upstanding therefrom, said corner bracket further having a bolt receiving sleeve press-formed into said bottom portion of said bracket, a roller assembly pivotally mounted to said bottom portion of said bracket assembly and extending beyond a free end of said bracket, a detent integrally connected to said roller assembly and extending outwardly therefrom toward one of said flanges, a detent receiving means formed in said one of said flanges for releasably engaging said detent, and a bolt threadingly engaging said sleeve for movement toward and away from said roller assembly, one end of said bolt being adapted to contact said roller assembly, whereby longitudinal movement of said bolt releases said detent of said pivotally mounted roller from engagement with said detent receiving means.
 7. A corner bracket and roller assembly as recited in claim 6, in which said roller assembly comprises a pair of spaced legs integrally connected to a narrow base wall along edges of said base wall, and said detent is an integral extension of the top of said base wall extending upwardly and forwardly toward the free ends of said legs.
 8. A corner bracket and roller assembly as recited in claim 6 in which said bolt receiving sleeve has a central portion pressed upwardly between two parallel cuts in said bottom portion and is adjacently located with respect to two reversely downwardly formed adjoining portions of said bottom portion of said bracket.
 9. A corner bracket and roller assembly as recited in claim 6 in which said bottom of said bracket has a strengthening dimple therein. 